Beyond Grace
by toomanycurls
Summary: Rose Weasley is at the precipice of a successful post-Hogwarts career, or so her mother says. A series of bad choices may change all of that.
1. Chapter 1

The fairy lights gave the garden a magical, romantic feeling – the twinkling lights were an uplifting aspect of the otherwise oppressive celebration. Rose Weasley's Hogwarts graduation party was laced with her mother's expectations of the future: success. Thankfully the celebration was also for Albus and Scorpius, her cousin and boyfriend, or Rose would have been suffocated by the attention and presumption of having a life in Magical Law and rising high in the Ministry, like her mother.

"As you step out to the next important stage of life, I know you'll rise beyond all of our expectations," Hermione Granger-Weasley's voice called out with pride. "To Rose Weasley, on the precipice of success."

Sinking lower into her chair, Rose was barely able to glance up as the crowd echoed her name. Taking a long draw of champagne, Rose wished she could disappear into the evening rather than greet people as they congratulate her on the number of N.E.W.T.s she procured and the many opportunities her future held. Of course there were many family members at the party but there were also a large crowd of Ministry officials who wanted to stay in her mother's good graces.

Putting on the mask she wore when conversing with all but her closest friends and family, Rose greeted the queue of well-wishers and politely accepted their tokens of congratulations. There were only a handful of the Ministry crowd Rose knew well enough to say more than a few perfunctory words. By the time the throng of people died out, she was more than ready to be gone. That was until her cousin's handsome husband, Teddy Lupin, came up to her.

"So, you made it," he commented in a low voice.

Despite the benign nature of his words, Rose felt a blush creep up her cheeks. Teddy was the first boy she fancied but the only crush she never shared with her friends. He was Victoire's – that much had been true since Rose could remember.

"I thought they would never leave me alone," Rose managed in a hopefully casual voice.

"Nah, everyone wants a chance with the pretty Rose Weasley," he returned nonchalantly.

Teddy was often complimentary to Rose which she dismissed as kindness, generosity, and a generally friendly nature. She never counted it as flirtation. That was until he placed a light kiss on her cheek.

"Teddy," she said quietly. It was hard for Rose to do what she knew she should do: push him away, be loyal to her cousin, and hold him at arm length in the future. Instead she followed as Teddy took her hand and lead the new graduate to a dark, secluded area of the garden.

"You're very beautiful, Rose Weasley," Teddy murmured as his deft fingers pushed back a strand of loose hair from Rose's freckled face. "Such a beautiful woman," he went on before kissing her other cheek.

This was exactly what Rose imagined in her most furtive of fantasies. Teddy, the handsome, mature, off limits man she desired coming to her full of yearning romance. A small thread of decency tugged at Rose as she said, "What about Victoire? And Scorpius?" An even smaller voice in her head ask ' _what about my self-respect?'_ But that voice was easily silenced by the excited churning in her stomach.

"Neither of them are here between us unless you want them to be," Teddy assured Rose. "Besides, Vic hasn't so much as touched me for months."

"Oh," was all Rose managed. The same couldn't be said for Scorpius who had been in her bed just that afternoon before they had to get ready for the party. He was an affectionate, loving boyfriend. Rose knew they'd probably end up married one day. While the thought made her happy and content, she couldn't shake the idea of Teddy's interest in her.

Leaning in for a kiss full on the lips, Teddy pushed all thoughts and scruples from Rose's mind. His tongue gently explored her mouth while his hand caressed Rose's face. Tentatively, as is worried that too much boldness would cause this fantasy to disappear, Rose reached around Teddy's slender frame and pulled his body flush to hers. It was several minutes before they broke apart, both startled by a nearby sound.

"I, uh…" Rose wasn't sure what to say after snogging her cousin's husband. Teddy, however, seemed to know the right things to say in this situation.

"We're going to be caught if we keep going here," he whispered with his lips pressed to Rose's brow. "Can you meet me later?"

The question caught her by surprise but words left her mouth without thinking, "Of course I can. Where?"

"I'll write down the address," Teddy said, motioning for Rose to follow him. They meandered through the crowd, Rose unable to make eye contact with anyone as if her sins were written on her flushed cheeks. Grabbing a quill and scrap of parchment from a table by the entryway, Teddy scribbled an address and time. He pressed the paper into Rose's hand before turning heel and walking back outside to the party.

Rose had just tucked the scandalous paper into the clutch she wore on her wrist when Scorpius came inside. "There you are," he smiled as he took Rose's hand in his. "Been hiding out?"

"Yeah," Rose replied quietly. "I, uh, wasn't feeling well."

Scorpius scrutinized Rose's face for a moment before saying, "You look flushed. Should you head home and call it a night? People are starting to leave so no one will mind."

"I should go lie down," Rose agreed, thankful for the excuse to leave early. She was unsure whether she would meet Teddy at the address he gave her but… she didn't want to close that door just yet.

Placing a kiss on his girlfriend's cheek, Scorpius bade Rose goodnight. "Will you come by tomorrow evening for dinner?" he asked before returning to the party. "It'd be just the two of us," he added with a mischievous grin.

"I'd love to," Rose replied without real thought. It would be out of character to turn down the chance to spend an evening alone with Scorpius.

Once he was out of sight, Rose turned on the spot and left the party with a crack. It was a few minutes before the teen opened her bedroom door and flung herself onto the plush bed she loved. Fishing out the tiny scrap of parchment, Rose read the unfamiliar address. Conflict stirred in her as she tried to decide whether to meet Teddy as promised or stay home and pretend to be ill.

A rush of adrenaline hit Rose as she decided to go for it – she didn't want to let Teddy down, not after promising to go. Wanting to wear something sexy, she rummaged through her closet for a suitable skirt and top. By the time she found an outfit that was slinky but not too desperate, the sound of the rest of her family returning home could be heard downstairs. Footsteps on the stairs told Rose she was about to be visited so she dashed in bed and under the covers.

"Rosie," came Hermione's voice. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, Mum," Rose called in a fake sleepy tone.

Hermione entered Rose's room and sat on the edge of her daughter's bed, as she'd done many times before. "You haven't even washed your makeup off," she noticed. "You must be feeling ill."

The truth was she had just reapplied it but Rose wasn't going to tell her mother that. "Must have had too much to drink," Rose lied again.

An understanding smile formed on Hermione's face. "You get some rest, Rosie. Next week you start your internship; it's just the first step to your-"

"Successful life at the Ministry," Rose intoned dryly.

"Well, it is," Hermione said haughtily. "We can talk about it more in the morning, sweetheart. Goodnight."

Once her mother left and Rose heard her footsteps go up to the next floor, she pushed the covers off of herself. Hesitation tied her to the bed but the weight of her mother's words and aspirations caused Rose to spring out of bed, grabbing the parchment from her table and disappearing into the night. She knew it was a mistake but it felt like one she needed to make before settling into her prescribed future in the Ministry.


	2. Chapter 2

Rose woke up at 4 am, naked and in a strange bed. She rolled over to find that the man she fell asleep next to, Teddy Lupin, was gone. Sitting up in bed, Rose looked around the rather dingy hotel room to check for him and could see he wasn't anywhere to be found. The bathroom door was open so there wasn't a lingering chance he would reappear. Rose pulled her knees up to her chest and began to think back on the hours they spent together; she couldn't understand why he'd up and leave her alone in a strange place.

Teddy had been everything she hoped and a few things Rose didn't expect. He was flirtatious and funny, sensual and seductive. He was also more demanding than she was used to but made up for that with the pleasure an experienced lover could bring. Sex with Teddy was unlike any experience she had shared with Scorpius during their year and a half relationship.

Deciding that going home would be better than sleeping for a few extra hours in the uncomfortable bed, Rose gathered her clothes on the floor and carefully dressed. The black dress barely reached her knees and the high heels were a bit uncomfortable but not wearing shoes seemed like a bad choice. Her hair and makeup were in shambles, causing Rose to pause by the door to make herself a bit more representable. As she headed out the man at the check-in desk said, "Mr. Wolf said he had to go but the room is taken care of."

Not sure what to say to this, Rose smiled before darting out the door. Morning light was just making its way over the horizon when Rose's stomach growled. There was a diner where Rose decided to stop before going home.

"'ello," called a man, about her age, from the counter. "'have a seat anywhere."

The counter was good a place as any for Rose. She observed the other customers, most of whom appeared to be coping with various stages of hangovers or drunkenness. The server came and handed her a menu and a glass of water before going to another table to give the check.

"Just gettin' off work?" he asked opposite Rose.

"Excuse me?" she asked, unsure his meaning.

The server blushed scarlet before answering with, "I just thought… well, with the way you're dressed that you work for… a club or something."

Rose half laughed. "Nice save," she commented. "I'm just heading home after… a long night out."

"Bit o' food with do you good," he told her knowingly. "Try the quiche or flapjacks if you need something easy on the stomach."

After ordering the quiche, Rose watched the server work the other tables. He seemed to notice her lingering stare as he grinned after the third time he caught her watching. She wasn't sure what fascinated her so much about the muggle. He wore glasses and was generally tidy, which seemed out of place for a diner such as this.

When he brought her a plate of food, the server said, "The name is Rhys. What's your name?"

"My name is Rose," she replied automatically. Searching for something else to say, she asked, "Have you worked here long?"

It was a lame thing to ask but Rose really didn't know what muggles talked about. "It's my summer job – I go back to uni in the fall. Do you go to uni?"

Mind racing, Rose tried to recall what level school she'd be at. "Uh, just finished my A-levels," she said uncertainly.

"Guess no one knows until the marks come back," Rhys laughed. Looking around he went on, "I gotta take care of the other tables but…" he blushed again before going on, "I get off work in 20 minutes if you want to chat more then."

Rose ate her meal slowly and tried to work out what she was doing. Rhys was cute but… a complete stranger. ' _He probably just wants to talk,'_ Rose told herself but knew that was unlikely. She'd already made one mistake for the day, what was one more?

Rhys sat at the stool next to Rose, causing her to start. Looking at her watch she commented, "That went by fast."

"Don't see many people who wear watches," he observed with a faint smile.

"Oh, I don't have a phone," Rose explained with a smile.

Furrowing his brow, Rhys commented, "You're a very unusual woman." The blush that Rose felt was involuntary and made her rethink spending time with this muggle. "I like that," he reassured her with a kind grin.

"What do I owe for breakfast?" Rose asked, looking around for the on-duty server to give her a check.

"I took care of it," Rhys said with a smile. "I didn't take my meal last night and rang yours out as mine."

Rose didn't quite follow what all this meant but nodded in appreciation that she didn't have to pretend to understand muggle money.

"What do you say to getting out of this mangy diner and going somewhere else?" the handsome muggle asked with a burst of gusto that told Rose he was not used to chatting up women.

"Where do you have in mind? Do you live close by?" Based on the way Rhys' eyebrows shot up into his black hair, Rose guessed he definitely hadn't expected that suggestion. "I could really go for tea," she added.

"I live pretty close, if you don't mind a short walk. And I have tea."

Wishing they could apparate, Rose agreed to walk and they set out in the early morning bustle. Rhys was a gentleman and offered Rose his arm as they strolled a couple of blocks to a student flat. "Do you have flatmates?" Rose asked, unsure of how housing for uni worked.

"I do but they should still be in bed," Rhys said as he fished keys from his pocket. "I also have a futon in my room." Noticing the way that Rose was taking in everything as if it was all new, Rhys went on, "I bet you'll have something similar at uni in the fall."

"I'm not sure if I will," Rose said honestly. "Mum wants me to stay at home."

"You'd definitely save on student loans that way," Rhys told her. "I'm from Wales so," he shrugged as if to say this was the way it had to be. Once they were in the lift, Rhys hit the number five and they started upwards. Lifts always made Rose uneasy but she tried to keep a steady face.

When they got in the flat, Rose was surprised at its size before she remembered it was shared. Rhys started on the kettle and pulled out tea. "Feel up for black tea?" he asked. Rose nodded and he smiled. "Well, that's lucky. I'm all out of other types."

Walking around the sitting room, Rose noticed the obviously muggle posters. "Bit of a football fan?" she asked pointing one out.

Rhys stood next to Rose so he could look at the same poster. "You could say so. I go to pub to watch the matches when Wales is on. Are you a fan?" he asked with a raised brow.

"I played at school," Rose lied, substituting quidditch for football. "But Mum wanted me to focus on grades so I gave it up a few years back. I don't really watch anymore."

Catching the hint of sadness in her voice, Rhys turned to face Rose. "You could try out at uni," he suggested brightly. Looking at her deep red hair it was easy for Rhys to imagine Rose going full speed down the field as a blur. "Bet you'd do great."

"Oh I'm very rusty by now. I get a game in with my cousins a few times each summer but that's not enough to make a proper team," Rose said in a wistful tone. She often imagined trying out for the Holyhead Harpies like Aunt Ginny but she didn't want to let Mum down by wasting her academic talent.

"Never know unless you try," Rhys pushed on. He had his hand almost to Rose's back, attempting to make a reassuring pat on her back when the kettle whistled. "Oh! Tea." As he poured out the hot water and added a teabag to each mug. "Do you want milk or sugar?"

"Just a sugar," Rose replied, not sure if she could trust dairy products kept in a bachelor flat. Rhys handed her a steaming cup of tea minutes later and invited her to sit on the futon in his room. "So, what is a futon? Some sort of sports couch?" Rose asked after a few sips of tea.

The hearty laugh from Rhys told Rose she was very mistaken about a futon. "It's a couch that folds out into a bed," he explained, still chuckling. Rhys was starting to guess that Rose was from a well-off family if she hadn't heard of cheap furniture made for students.

"That's quite clever," she said brightly. "I guess you could say I don't get out that much," Rose explained as she set down the partially empty mug.

"Which makes it all the more mysterious that you ended up in this part of town," Rhys commented, also setting down his cup.

"I just needed some air after my graduation party," Rose explained as she looked into Rhys' green eyes. "There was too much pressure there and I needed to get out for a few hours… to think."

"Your family just wants what's best for you," Rhys said as his heart began to race. "Not that it's easy to fall in line with everyone's expectations," he added.

Turning so that her face was close to Rhys, she shook her head just slightly. "No, it's not." Feeling a sweeping sense of recklessness, Rose leaned in and kissed the cute man next to her. It wasn't an entirely smooth kiss, her forehead bumped his glasses which caused a nervous laugh from the pair.

"Let me try that again," she said with another burst of bravado. Swinging her leg over Rhys' lap, Rose was centered on his lap before laying on another kiss. This time she tilted her head slightly to avoid the thick frames of Rhys' stylish glasses and felt his hands come to rest on her hips.

Somewhere under the excitement of having a beautiful woman in his room, kissing him deeply, Rhys guessed that Rose venting a need for rebellion rather than an interest in him as a person. Usually this was the sort of thing Rhys would want to figure out before intimacy with someone but this morning he didn't care. Perfectly content to snog with Rose, it was a pleasant surprise when she tugged on the straps of her dress to reveal perky breasts.

Taking the unspoken invitation, Rhys reached up to squeeze a handful of the lush breasts. Rose moaned as he fondled her and ground down against his crotch. It wasn't long before she managed a throaty, "I want you, Rhys."

Caught up in the heat and friction of the moment, passion drove Rhys to undo his trousers and let Rose reach in with her soft but not inexperienced hands. She was warm and welcoming as she slid down on his hardness. It was an altogether new feeling for Rose, both the position and partner but that day was one for new although misguided experiences.

It all ended too soon for Rose but Rhys' exclamation and shuddering breath told her he had finished. He kissed her deeply with a warm tenderness. "That was…" he breathed heavily. "You're amazing."

Rose grinned and pressed her forehead into his. "You're pretty amazing yourself," she said with fluttering in her stomach. With an ache in her knees, Rose moved back to the seat she had occupied earlier and stretched out her legs.

"I definitely think you'd have a fair shot at football with those legs," Rhys told Rose vehemently. "Stamina and all."

"I'll mention that on my application," Rose assured him with a note a derision in her voice. Catching the time on the wall, a bit of color left Rose's face. "Oh balls. I'm going to be late if I don't get a move on."

Watching Rose dress in a hurry, Rhys jotted down his mobile number. "Take my number," he insisted with a smile. "Give me a call if you want to go catch a film or dinner." Rose took the number before leaving and said she'd give him a ring. As she left his flat, Rhys felt a hollowness in his stomach that came with having been used but not appreciated by the other. Ever the optimist, he hoped to see the stunning redhead again.


	3. Chapter 3

Sneaking into her bedroom after a night out was not new to Rose, though she was usually either at a girlfriend's house without permission or staying with Scorpius. It was easier once she turned 17 the previous summer and could use magic to aid her rule breaking. As usual, Hugo was the only one who noticed Rose return.

"Typical," he muttered on his way down to the yard, probably to smoke.

"Stuff it in your pipe," Rose sneered at her younger brother. It was out of mutual benefit that they kept silence when they caught each other breaking one of the many rules their parents put down.

Once she was in her room, Rose peeled off her dress and kicked the heeled shoes off her feet. "Time for a shower," she told herself.

The cascade of hot water felt soothing against Rose's skin and the rain beat of the shower blocked out all thoughts but the ones where she replayed the previous twelve hours. She wasn't proud of her decision to sleep with Teddy or seduce Rhys. If someone had told her a day ago that she'd cheat on Scorpius, Rose would have slapped them on the spot. But… she had. It would be easy enough not to tell Scorpius about the events that unfolded since they last saw each other.

Rose toweled off after her shower and examined her body, checking that she bore no marks from her encounter with Teddy as he was rough with his hands. Thankfully, her skin showed no sign of blemish. It would have been easy to use a charm to hide her sins but magic fades over time.

That afternoon Rose slipped out to go see Scorpius. While Mum knew she was going, Rose didn't want to look her mother in the eye as she could always see when Rose felt shame or guilt. Scorpius did not possess the ability to x-ray Rose in the same way so it was easy to greet him with wholehearted enthusiasm.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked after a long hug. Scorpius was always free with is affection which was a pain point for the first time since they started dating.

"I'm… I'm feeling a bit better," Rose faltered as she thought that she felt much worse than she did the previous evening. "I didn't get much rest," she said truthfully.

Scorpius had prepared a simple but homemade meal of risotto with mushrooms and chickens served with a bottle of fine wine from his parents' cellar. The Malfoys had left town that morning which was the reason for Scorpius to have Rose over – they shared very few evenings together where one of them wasn't snuck into the other's house. Rose was always impressed that Scorpius knew how to cook, let alone that he could make such nice meals.

"This all looks amazing," Rose told him once they were settled at the elegant dining room table. The scene was romantic with candles lit around the room and soft music coming from a music player nearby.

"I wanted us to celebrate, just the two of us," Scorpius explained with a grin. "I know big parties aren't your thing."

Without warning, Rose began to cry. "You're such a good boyfriend," she said with a laugh through the tears. "I really haven't done enough to deserve you."

Utterly alarmed at this response to dinner and a romantic setting, Scorpius took Rose's hand in his. "Nonsense," he told her firmly. "You're an amazing girlfriend and…" he paused for a moment. "I think we'll have the best life together."

A watery smile formed on Rose's face. "I'm just being silly," she said before taking a bit of dinner. "I just feel overwhelmed by everything Mum said yesterday… about expecting a lot from my future."

"You don't have to worry about letting anyone down," Scorpius reassured his girlfriend. Seeing the look she shot him, he amended the statement, "Well, you don't have to worry about letting me down. I love you and I'll be proud of you no matter what."

Rose blushed and shoveled in another bite of risotto. Scorpius followed suit and dug into his dinner. They chatted idly about Albus having dated and dumped another girl from school and that he'd have to find a new pool of victims/girlfriends to date. He wasn't so much a womanizer as a serial monogamist who couldn't find someone to settle with. Not that Rose thought it was necessary to settle at their age. When they had finished eating, Rose followed Scorpius upstairs where he promised to have more in store. He definitely was not overselling the fun he had set up.

In the Malfoy master suite, there was a whirlpool bathtub large enough for four people by Rose's estimation. Scorpius filled it with bubbles that danced on the surface of the water and a perfumed oil that smelled of fresh cut flowers.

"I know how much you liked the prefect bath at school," he said with a loving look in his eye once the bath was full. "We never got a chance to enjoy it together."

Despite the fact that they had sex often, neither was entirely comfortable disrobing in front of the other yet. Rose glanced at the inviting bathtub before slipping out of her dress so she was down to bra and panties.

"Your turn," she told Scorpius with a grin.

Scorpius loosened the tie around his neck and undid the buttons to the collared shirt he wore. Compared to the time it took Rose to undress, he was relatively slow at disrobing. Once down to his boxers he stopped. "Should we do the last bit together?" he asked with a downward glance.

"I want to watch," Rose decided. "You go then me."

Watching as Scorpius nervously slid his thumbs into the waistline of the green silk boxers he wore, Rose eyed him hungrily. She already knew what he looked like but enjoyed the buildup of watching him undress. First he revealed the top of his pubic hair, then she could see the sexy slopes from high on his hips that reached to his inner thigh. Pulling the elastic down further, Scorpius' boxers dropped to the granite floor with an unceremonious plop as he revealed the growing hardness between his legs. He stepped into the tub, poised to watch Rose undress.

Not sure if she could manage the same show Scorpius put on, Rose let the straps of her bra fall down her shoulders. Rose then undid the back of her bra, something which was difficult to do in a sexy way but then waited before throwing her undergarment to the side. Taking off her panties didn't seem very seductive but Rose inched them down to her thighs before they went to her thin ankles.

Giggling to break the tension that seduction put between them, Rose climbed in the large tub with Scorpius before kissing him playfully.

"This feels great," Rose sighed as she relished the relaxing water. Resting her head against Scorpius' shoulder she added, "You feel great."

"We can come up here anytime my parents are gone," Scorpius said confidently. "You'll want to unwind from your internship."

"Yeah…" Rose agreed airily.

The pair was quiet for a few minutes as they soaked in the bubble filled silence, both occupied with thoughts about the future.

"Do you ever feel pressure to be something you're not?" Rose asked suddenly.

"Uh, every day," Scorpius laughed. "Father isn't thrilled I'm doing Healer training. 'Having money is a job,' he says."

"Isn't he mad you're doing Healer school instead?" Rose felt this had come up previously but that was before she felt her own anxiety about Mum's expectations about her future.

"Mother talked him out of being upset about it. Money will be there for me to manage when I grow tired of being a Healer," Scorpius said with a sigh. "They don't think I'll take a career seriously."

"You'll be a great Healer, Scorp." She kissed his cheek softly. "I don't think I'll do great at the Ministry." As Scorpius opened his mouth to reassure Rose she said, "I've been thinking about Quidditch instead of the Ministry."

Taking a moment to pause and reflect, Scorpius shifted his position in the tub to look at Rose better. "Is that what you want?" Seeing Rose's brief nod he said, "Then you should go for it. Your aunt played Quidditch professionally and was successful at it."

"Mum doesn't think it's a proper career," Rose sighed. "I won't waste my time if I'm rubbish but I want to try out."

"There's no harm in going for the tryouts," Scorpius told Rose, not realizing he was echoing advice she heard from another man that morning.

"I suppose not," Rose murmured. "The Holyhead Harpies do their tryouts late summer."

After a slow kiss to Rose's neck, Scorpius said, "I'll be disappointed if you _don't_ go. Let your mum be angry."

Rose turned to kiss Scorpius and felt excited at the prospect of giving Quidditch a go, even if it was a fleeting hope at a more desirable future.


	4. Chapter 4

The week between her graduation party and related events passed too fast for Rose. Sunday hit her hard as the beginning of her Ministry internship was due to start the following day. She wanted to spend the summer leisurely travelling around with friends and making time with Scorpius, not acting out the boring career Mum was pushing on her. While Mum was quite strict with them, Dad got her to ease up from time to time which was why Rose had been allowed to spend much of her free time with Scorpius instead of staying at home to study or work around the house.

As Sunday was a family day, Rose and Hugo were both forced to stay home through brunch and dinner. Hugo was content to hide in his room between meals when not specifically asked to do something for their parents but Rose was desperate to spend her last day of freedom having _fun_. By dinner her mood was sullen which Mum noticed right away.

"You'll have quite the exciting day tomorrow, Rosie," Hermione said to raise her daughter's spirits. When Rose didn't respond, Hermione went on, "Teddy asked if you could work on the categorization program he's heading up."

Rose dropped her fork. "When did that happen? I thought I was going to be an assistant to Junior Law Minister Carter."

"Teddy came to me with the idea Friday," Hermione explained, taking Rose's reaction as excitement. "Ms. Carter agrees that you'll gain valuable experience and knowledge working with Teddy."

It was impossible for Rose to tell Mum why she didn't want to work closely with Teddy that summer. A week ago she would have been ecstatic to spend the summer daydreaming about her crush. Now Rose didn't think she could look Teddy in the eye, much less work side by side for the hot summer months. It struck Rose that maybe Teddy wanted a chance to carry on an illicit affair under the guise of Ministry work. The idea made Rose sick to her stomach. Sleeping with him once had been a fool's mistake but falling into his arms (and bed) after he ditched her post-coitus would make her an outright idiot. This reckoning didn't even take into account that it would be cheating – something Rose didn't plan on doing again.

"You're awfully quiet," Dad commented looking at Rose's pale face. "Aren't you excited to work with Teddy?"

"Of course," Rose lied. "I was just caught by surprise is all."

Hugo glanced at Rose and could tell there was more beneath her reactions. He'd seen her lying too much to be fooled like their parents. He decided to change the topic by asking, "Mind if I go see Freddie tomorrow?"

"Will you be at the shop or at George's house?" Dad asked wearily. Mum and Dad knew that Hugo and Freddie could get into trouble together but they had no idea the depths of their bad habits. They assumed that it was Freddie who poorly influenced Hugo when it went the other way around, despite their 2 year age gap.

"Dunno, probably 'round the house," Hugo shrugged.

"I suppose that's alright," Mum said with a glance at Dad. Naturally Hugo gets to do whatever the hell he pleases this summer. Rose drummed her fingers on the table, wanting the meal to be done several minutes ago.

When dinner finally ended, after many more minutes of tedious conversation, Rose hightailed it to her room and shut the door behind her. She couldn't believe that tomorrow would be the first day of her internship with _Teddy_ of all people. Even if they weren't both in relationships with other people, seeing him after their encounter would be awkward. Rose didn't know if she should acknowledge what had happened or pretend it hadn't. Neither of those options felt right.

Sleep found Rose that night with difficulty as she tossed and turned most of the night. When her eyes glanced at the clock at 3:30 in the morning, Rose decided she had enough of feigning sleep. She wanted to talk to someone, anyone really, but this wasn't a time of day most people were awake.

Except for Rhys.

Rose didn't want to seduce the man she'd slept with the previous week but he'd been lovely to chat with. Maybe she could level with him and see if he'd be okay starting over, in a way. It seemed like a selfish request – be my friend when you started off as a lover – but Rose felt hopeful.

Dressed in jeans and a simple t-shirt, Rose crept down the hall. Hugo was making his way upstairs. "Bit late for a booty call with Scorpius, isn't it?" he asked groggily.

"I…" a clever lie escaped Rose so she retorted with, "Mind your own business."

Hugo waved a lazy hand acknowledging Rose's statement before continuing up to his room.

Once she was outside and clear of the protective charms on the house, Rose disapparated to an alley near Rhys' work. The diner appeared to be scarcely populated that morning which might give Rose a chance to talk with Rhys privately. At the door, Rose looked in and didn't see Rhys but rather an older bloke with a set in scowl.

Deciding that she was too close to just leave, Rose pushed open the door. The server on duty didn't greet her but stared as she sat at the bar. "Here's a menu," he grunted by way of greeting.

"Um, thank you," Rose squeaked. She was debating whether to ask the grumpy server about Rhys when a familiar voice met her ears.

"Well hello, beautiful," came Rhys' voice.

Beaming, Rose turned to see Rhys with a stack of plates from a recently vacated table. "I was starting to worry you were off tonight," she said with a smile.

"Just bussing tables," he explained. "Guess you really don't have a phone," Rhys commented.

A blush colored Rose's cheeks. "Phoning would have been easier than dropping by," she agreed quietly.

"I don't mind in the least. Lemme get these in the back and I'll take my break. Unless you're here for food?"

"Not really."

Rhys walked through the double doors that revealed metallic kitchen equipment and Rose sat on the barstool feeling ever more nervous by the moment. The other waiter came up and growled, "What will it be?"

"Oh, I'm just waiting for Rhys," Rose explained quickly.

Without a word, the waiter took the menu and went back to his sentry post by the till. Rhys came out of the back with a jacket over his uniform. "Taking my break, Gerry," he called to the other man. He and Rose walked outside and stood next to a bank of gas meters next to the building. "It's either this or the dumpster," Rhys explained with a dry laugh. "I don't fancy the smell of garbage."

"Neither do I," Rose said with a laugh. "Thanks for taking your break to talk," she started slowly. "I wanted to talk to you…"

"I guessed that much," Rhys said with an odd smile on his face.

Blushing again, Rose wished there was an easy way to start the conversation. "I, uh…"

"Did you come by to tell me you have a fella?" Rhys asked bluntly.

The color left Rose's face as she stared at Rhys with a spark of anger behind her eyes. "Why would you think that?" she asked defensively, even though he'd been right.

"Well… you're clearly not here to have another lovely romp and I don't think you'd want more of our food unless you needed to level something with me." Rhys watched Rose's face for a few moments then started to worry he'd just made a complete ass of himself. He'd waited for Rose to call him after the other morning but as time passed his theories about her lack of communication grew more cynical by the day. The two ideas that stuck with him were that she wasn't interested in him or had another relationship. Rose's presence at his work and hesitation made cheating as clear as a bell.

"I'm sorry," Rose said quietly. "It wasn't right for me to do that. Not fair to you and…"

"Why did you come here? I mean… You didn't have to come back and I don't have a way to contact you," Rhys pressed.

"To talk. You are a good listener and I was hoping to try being friends," she said with the realization that her request could very well be difficult for Rhys.

The idea that Rose's candidate list for friends included a man she'd had a one night stand with hit Rhys with a sad realization that her life must be incredibly lonely. "I… um… s'pose that could work," he agreed thoughtfully. "Just friends though. I don't want to be your side of sausage."

Rose laughed at the imagery. "No sausage for me," she agreed with a mischievous grin.

"What's going on with your life?" he asked, quite curious what would drive Rose to randomly seek out his place of work at this time.

"I start this internship tomorrow and, well, the person I'm working for is a bloke who might make me uncomfortable," Rose explained.

Rhys frowned and clarified, "So it's someone you know?" Seeing Rose's nod, he went on, "Can you ask to work under someone else?"

It was clear that getting Rhys' full advice on the situation would require him to know all the embarrassing details. Rose took in a deep breath and explained about her cousin's dish of a husband, the one night stand, his request that they work together. When she finished, Rhys looked slightly overwhelmed.

"Wow," was all he managed at first. Rose blushed. "You had two one night stands in the same night? I'm kind of impressed."

"I'm so ashamed," Rose moaned. Catching Rhys' eye she went on, "I mean, of myself. Not that you weren't lovely and…" Awkwardness silenced Rose for a moment.

"Is that the only time you've cheated on your boyfriend? Well, the only night," he asked with a frown on his face. Rose could tell this was more to assess her than to provide better advice.

"The only time," she said solemnly.

"Your mum could change your internship but you'd have to come clean first?" Rhys verified.

Rose nodded. "That's the part where all-powerful Mum doesn't come in handy."

Sighing heavily, Rhys glanced at Rose's pretty face. "March into the office, do your work, and if he makes a pass at you tell him to bugger the hell off." It wasn't great advice, nor was it different than conclusions Rose had met on her own, but it was nice to have someone else agree with the difficulty of her situation and affirm her plan of action.

Rhys pulled out a rectangular phone, hit a button, and swore. "I gotta get back."

"Thank you for listening and, well, not judging," Rose said shyly.

"Any time," Rhys promised with a wink. While he still felt shock at Rose's information dump and hurt that he'd been involved in her cheating, there was something about her that made Rhys want to keep her in his life, even as a friend.

Rose watched Rhys go inside before disappearing from the alleyway.


End file.
